Police seek to reunite rescued Abia minor with family
The Abia State Police Command has urged members of the public who may have a case of a missing child to come forward following the rescue by its operatives of a four-year-old girl in the Mbutu, Isiala-Ngwa Local Government Area of the state.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Maureen Chinaka, in a statement on Thursday, disclosed that the girl was rescued after some suspected child traffickers abandoned her on the road upon sighting a police team. This is coming on the heels of repeated campaigns by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons about the prevalence of human traffickers and the dangers of their activities.According to her, the girl was unstable and could not clearly identify herself or where she came from.
She urged members of the public who may have a case of a missing child to visit the command for identification.She said, “A dark-complexioned girl, about four years old, suspected to have been stolen by unknown persons, was abandoned at Mbutu, Isiala-Ngwa, on sighting the police.“
The child is unable to state her name clearly or where she is from.“Parents, guardians, or relations whose girl child of this description is missing are advised to visit the office of the Serious Crime Investigation Squad, Aba, or contact the Police Public Relations Officer for further enquiries.”When contacted by our correspondent for a follow-up on whether the police had begun a manhunt for the suspected traffickers, Chinaka noted that an investigation was ongoing.
“An investigation is ongoing,” she said.The issue of human trafficking, especially involving children, is becoming a trend that now puts families in distress.In July, the Anambra State Police Command busted an interstate child stealing/abduction and trafficking syndicate operating in Uruagu, Nnewi North Local Government Area of the state.During the operation, one suspect was arrested while 11 children, including five boys and six girls, were rescued.In the same month, the Adamawa State Police Command rescued four kidnapped victims and 13 trafficked children in a series of coordinated security operations across the state.
